Housing decision brief
Pierce County, ND Housing Market
Pierce County screens as a below-state purchase price, rent that needs comparison, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
26th lowest home value out of 53 North Dakota counties with data | 33rd lowest rent out of 53
Median home value
$143,400
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$807/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$701/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.3x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
26.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$106/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$143,400 median home value is 4% below North Dakota county median
Rent burden below pressure line
26.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $106/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 96.8 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Lower income base
$63,214 median income is 11% below North Dakota county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.03% effective property-tax rate is 11% above North Dakota county median
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers focused only on purchase price and ignoring annual property tax
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Pierce County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $143,400 | $149,600 | $281,900 | Near state median4% below North Dakota county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $807 | $756 | $1,163 | 7% pressure7% above North Dakota county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $701 | $712 | $1,672 | Near state median2% below North Dakota county median |
Median household income | $63,214 | $70,827 | $74,755 | 11% pressure11% below North Dakota county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.03% | 0.93% | 1.02% | 11% pressure11% above North Dakota county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 26.00% | 22.00% | N/A | 18% pressure26.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$30,934
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$33,171
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
For renters in Pierce County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $807/month in gross rent, with 26.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
At $807/month rent versus $701/month in owner costs, owning is roughly $106/month cheaper , a 13% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $32,280/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $30,043/year. With a median household income of $63,214, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 26.0% of renter households in Pierce County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within North Dakota, Pierce County is more affordable than Foster County by roughly 7% ($807/mo vs $756/mo).
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kidder County, ND | $138,500 | $847/mo | Same-state comparison near $138,500 home value and $847/mo rent. |
| Dickey County, ND | $167,100 | $749/mo | Same-state comparison near $167,100 home value and $749/mo rent. |
| Towner County, ND | $122,800 | $719/mo | Same-state comparison near $122,800 home value and $719/mo rent. |
| Cavalier County, ND | $122,300 | $859/mo | Same-state comparison near $122,300 home value and $859/mo rent. |
| Sargent County, ND | $149,600 | $835/mo | Same-state comparison near $149,600 home value and $835/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Pierce County
Is Pierce County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Pierce County?
How much income do you need for housing in Pierce County?
What should I double-check before moving to Pierce County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.